"I've already had covid"

[AverageContents]

People who say this, thinking this means that they can't catch it again, are thickos?

They're up there with the nose sticking out above the mask types.

Antibodies may wane but T cell immunity is not tested for in antibody tests and may be present after antibodies are not detectable in the blood but still be able to stimulate antibody production via memory and T Helper cells.
As far as I understand, anyway.

Antibodies are still being detected in some people from infection in march - the people who are donating plasma. They are also being told that donating plasma does not reduce their antibody levels, the antibodies will be replaced.

I've tested positive twice. Wasn't sick at all 🤷🏻‍♀️ was told it was probably dead cells.

I am a doctor, had covid in April and still being incredibly cautious. In fact I am currently self isolating after an exposure because it is the right thing to do!

Oh dear OP. Well, us thickos trust the virologists who publish peer-reviewed papers and have worked with respiratory viruses and SARs (as is Covid) for well over 30 yrs, probably before you were born. T-cell immunity.... heard of it?
Turn your telly off OP and don't be an idiot.

I have tested positive twice. The first time I was very ill and off work for 7 weeks. The second I had no symptoms. It was four months later. The second time I hadn't been in (known) contact with Covid nor did any of my own contacts subsequently get sick or test positive. I work in social care and I get tested every week. After the second positive, infection control suspended my weekly tests for 90 days because you can still test positive months later.

Anecdotally I have seen the same in the residents at work. They are tested monthly. We have three in particular who repeatedly test positive. One has never had a negative since testing positive in early November. One has NEVER displayed any symptoms yet has tested positive three times now.

It's not like getting a cold then getting another two weeks later. 28 confirmed reinfections out of nearly 80 million confirmed cases. Yes it could happen to me and I'm not exactly going out licking people's faces but I do feel safer having had it once.

Interesting thread, I had Covid in March but got tested for antibodies recently as part of a uni study and I don’t have any any more.

I was unwell in September with fever just didn’t feel 100% for a few days got a negative result.
Got the Antibody test through work
beginning of November and got a positive result. Still unsure if I had it in September & tested to late or had it another time & just didn’t have symptoms.

Just to clarify, I don't think I've had it twice, I think the second time was dead cells or a false positive.

In that case I should have been reinfected when my whole household tested positive last month, 4 DC and DH who I sleep in the same bed as. They had very mild symptoms and didn’t self isolate around the house as I figured I’d definitely pick it up anyway.

I’m pretty sure I had it in Feb (untested) and I’m assuming I still had antibodies as otherwise how on earth did I not get it?

Baublestolt not everyone catches every virus. I'm in my 50s but have never had chicken pox (or shown symptoms of having it) despite being around people who've had it over the years. Just the same as one person in a household can have a cold but not everyone.

I know someone who was hospitalised in Feb - one of the earliest cases in the UK. He was very ill, 2 others in his family were mildly ill and tested positive, one was fine and tested negative. He takes part in ongoing studies.

@AverageContents

People who say this, thinking this means that they can't catch it again, are thickos?

They're up there with the nose sticking out above the mask types.

Well, the contents of this shows you aren't the sharpest pencil in the box.

People think they have had it twice due to in accurate Covid tests. A friends son who was going abroad has now had three separate positive tests two weeks between each one...which is impossible to have been infectious repeatedly

@Sunflowergirl1

People think they have had it twice due to in accurate Covid tests. A friends son who was going abroad has now had three separate positive tests two weeks between each one...which is impossible to have been infectious repeatedly

Why on earth did he do covid tests 2 weeks' apart? They would expect them to still be positive-as has been said several times on this thread that up to 90 days you can still get a positive test from an old infection.

All doing multiple tests showed was that it was covid, and surprise... it still was covid.

My aunt has had it twice, both with symptoms requiring medical care. As far as I'm aware no one has studied her having it twice, once in April and once in October. Nhs staff. I think its more common than you think and maybe it isnt picked up?

Of course you can catch it twice but most people appear to have immunity for at least a period of weeks or months.

My student son had Covid in September - of course I know that having had it is no guarantee that you are immune, but the reality is that he probably does still have some immunity and the risk to me & other family members is lower than if he hadn't had it.

I work in an environment where social distancing is not possible and masks are largely impractical. We have had covid ‘do the rounds’ several times. No one has caught it twice. Some people have been unwell and it has lingered on - feeling better so feeling that they have turned a corner and then become ill again but no one has been reinfected. Obviously this is an anecdote from a randomer on mumsnet (and therefore worth about the same scientifically as those who claim to have had it six times, potentially starting in October 2019, along with all their friends of friends) but I have found that very interesting. I’ve had it, so although I’m being careful (if nothing else, I don’t want to make other people feel anxious) I am not hugely fussed that I might get it again. I’m counting on those antibodies, baby!

There have been several drama queens and malingerers who are always self isolating and are regulars at the test centres now though. Makes me laugh.

@Witchend

Was a requirement of the country he is visiting(or should have been)

I thought it wasn’t possible ( or at least very rare) but my aunt’s friend in liverpool who is in his 60s, caught it twice. On his first go, very mild symptoms, and now he is in ICU on a ventilator which is really terrifying

I wonder if having it once mildly makes people relax too much and then they cop a higher viral load the second time? So first time they catch it they are being careful but still get a small dose, second time not washing hands etc so much as already survived it once, then they get a big dose which makes them sicker then before? Just a theory.

The Icelandic government is so convinced that having had it means you won’t get it again that a valid proof that you have had it gives you exemption from quarantine and mask-wearing rules. I have been a little sceptical about whether this is the right thing to do but I’m fairly sure the government here are not all “thickos”. (Although not sure I would say the same about the U.K. government...)

@AverageContent - could you explain, do you think they are thickos because you think getting it twice is a realistic thing people need to factor in, or do you think they are thickos because they are assuming without a test they've had it, not allowing for the fact covid 19 isn't the only bug doing the rounds? (Eg i was certain dd had covid, but her test came back negative, if she'd had the same bug back in March when it was v difficult to get a test, I'd have said she had it.)

If its the first, you are wrong.

I had covid in March, I took an antibody test a few days ago and I still have the anti bodies.
2 weeks ago I saw my brothers and sister in laws and they have all tested positive last week. I took a test as we was all close contact and it was neg.
so yes I am one of this people that say I’ve had covid and because I still have the antibodies ; I will assume I’m immune!

The government are not telling people that they are immune once had it because they do not want them flouting the rules just yet.

Once the vaccine is in full circulation i believe they will come outright and say that if you have had it, then you are immune like loads of other virus’!!

@Shesingsshangrila https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/11/more-people-are-getting-covid-19-twice-suggesting-immunity-wanes-quickly-some

More than 28!

Had COVID 8 weeks ago. I'm not massively worried about reinfection as am confident I have enough antibodies to get me through until vaccines. However, there is still a grey area of knowledge around whether I could unknowingly transmit it to others, so still wearing a mask and following the rules...